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DHC-3 Otter

DHC-3 Otter (Otter), is a multi-purpose short take-off and landing aircraft (STOL), developed by the Canadian company "de Havilland Canada". This aircraft is based on DHC-2 BeaverAnd it is designed to perform the same tasks as its predecessor, but it has lengthened fuselage, larger scale and area of ​​the wing, as well as an increase of nearly doubled capacity. DHC-3 Otter can accommodate in its interior 11 seats. The transport-cargo variant it is able to carry up to 1020 kilogram payload.

The design of the DHC-3 Otter aircraft began in the late 1940-s. Initially, the project was called as “King Beaver”, but was later renamed “Otter”. The aircraft has the form of a monoplane with an all-metal fuselage with a highly located straight wing with two-slot flaps. The tail of the aircraft has a cross-shaped view. The chassis of the aircraft, as in the DHC-2, can have a wheeled, float, or skiing base, which allows the use of aircraft from various take-off and landing sites. On the DHC-3 Otter, the piston radial engine R-1340-S1H1-G / S3H1-G Wasp with the power of 600 hp manufactured by Pratt & Whitney was installed.

Its first flight DHC-3 made 12 December 1951 of the year. The Canadian Otter flight certificate received in November 1952 of the year. And shortly thereafter, the mass production of the aircraft began.

DHC-3 has the following modifications:

- DHC-3 Otter - BASIC version, designed for passenger transportation.

- CSR-123 Otter - transport aircraft short takeoff and landing for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

- U-1A Otter - transport aircraft for the US Army

- U-1B Otter - transport aircraft of the US Navy. Before 1962 year was named UC-1 Otter.

- Airtech Canada DHC-3 / 1000 Otter - an upgraded version of the engine with the established Polish-made PZL Kalisz ASZ-62IR.

One of the largest operators of the aircraft DHC-3 Otter has become the US Army. There was an 184 aircraft under the designation U-1A Otter. Also, the plane was delivered to the armies of Australia and India. DHC-3 in addition to transport, expeditionary and search and rescue, is popular in parachuting.

Serial production of aircraft DHC-3 Otter, continued to 1967 years. From the period of 1951 1967 466 year it was produced aircraft DHC-3. In today's time the aircraft continues to operate military, small transport companies and individuals as the transport and light passenger aircraft at short distances and in various remote regions.